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Fox revamps marketing, pr under Earley

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Veteran Fox Broadcasting Co. publicity executive Joe Earley has been given the reins of the network's marketing department in the wake of Chris Carlisle's departure to head marketing at New Line Cinema.

As part of Earley's promotion to executive vp marketing and communications, Fox's marketing and communications departments have been consolidated under him.

"In an ever-expanding media environment, marketing and communications must, now more than ever, work hand-in-hand to be effective," said Fox Entertainment chairman Peter Liguori, to whom Earley reports. "Joe is one of the few executives in this business who truly understands that synergy."

In his new position, Earley, formerly executive vp publicity, corporate communications and creative services, will oversee Fox's marketing efforts, including on-air promotion, print advertising, national media, affiliate marketing and national promotions. He also will continue to supervise all aspects of entertainment publicity and corporate communications as well as the Fox Creative Services department.

Fox Infinity, the full-fledged, in-house ad agency Fox launched in May under Carlisle to serve all of News Corp.'s marketing needs, also will fall under Earley's purview for now.

"I think it makes sense to meld the two (areas) because the world has melded them," Earley said. "With the sheer number of outlets, there is blurring between what is paid media and what is buzz. You can generate buzz from paid as well as from a strategic publicity campaign."

In his previous position, Earley often worked closely with the Fox marketing team.

"There has been a lot of crossover of ideas" already," he said.

Earley stressed that he doesn't want to be perceived as an outsider coming in to shake things up in the marketing department.

"My real goal is to create the working conditions under which they can expand their creativity," he said.

Fox's decision to consolidate its marketing and publicity departments follows a similar decision by Warner Bros. Television Group this year that aligned the two areas under executive vp worldwide marketing Lisa Gregorian.

Before being upped to executive vp three years ago, Earley served for three years as senior vp publicity and corporate communications and for two years as vp entertainment publicity. He joined the network in 1994 as a senior publicist.

Before that, Earley spent three years in media relations at HBO. He began his entertainment career in feature film production and development for producer Gale Anne Hurd.